Container and package



Sept. 5. 1939. A A M 2,172,196

CONTAINER AND PACKAGE Fild July 25 1936 IINVEN'YI'OR BY flexanderfifiamm TORNEY Patented Sept. 5, '1939 I PATENT OFFICE 4 CONTAINER AND PACKAGE Alexander L. Flamm, Bridgeport, Com, assignor oi one-half to Conn.

Harold 0. Cole, Bridgeport,"

Application July 25, 1936. Serial No."92,597" 10 Claims. ((1206-65) This invention relates tonew and useful improvements in ,contain'ers and packages and has for anobject toprovide a container of such shape that a plurality of the containers may be packed in any of various sizes and shapes of boxes or cartons without the loss of space. '1 Another object is to provide containers having the 'characteristics indicated and which are designed for assembly into. attractive displays and into packages convenient for carrying and storage,

A further object is to provide a package for the convenient assembly and carrying of a plurality Y of the containers oi the invention. I y An additional object is to. provide a. package as indicated and which is of simple and .inex- 'pen sive construction.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of thefollowing detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein satisfactory embodiments of the invention are shown.- However it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the details disclosed but includes all such variations and modifications as fall withinthe spirit of the invention and the scope of the I appended claimsa In the drawing: v Fig; 1 is a side elevational view showing a package made upin accordance with the present in:-

'.vention; g

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof, the cover being omitted;

Fig.- 3 is a vertical sectional view through the package, a pair'oi thecontainers being shown in section; I v

d elevational view of a Fig. Q; is an enlarged container 01 the invention;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a c which may'beemplqved;

Fig. 6 is a 'peispective'view showings. modified member 2i is positioned and the same includes a form package means set up as when in "use;

. 7' is a perspective [view of the-package means of Fig. 6 while in flat condition prior to beingsetup.foruse.' f

Referring, in'detail to the drawing and at first particular tb Figs. lthrough 5 the package gen erally designated includes twelve containers II each comprising a hollow elongated body which maybe 01' metal tor-.-the containing of beer or other liquid or of .other material as required. Each container as shown in Fig. 2 and on an enlarged scale in Fig. 4.48 generally triangular asliii viewed trornthe end or in transverse-section and ling unit standing flange l 6 'whereby the containers are -With this construction the containers may be packed in' a box or carton without the loss of space as will later be described.

The package] iii includes a base 05 generally hexagonal and including an integral upstanding l0 flange It. Through the center of the base is. an opening I! providing a passage fora lifting rod It to the lower end of which is fixed a button IQ of a diameter considerably greater than that of the opening ll. The radius of the base is' 15 slightly greater than the width of a wall it of a container Ii; These containers are disposed on the base with two containers to each side of the base and with two containers at the same side of the base arranged with their sides i2 against one 20 walls I! and it the containers are rounded'ofi 25 I as at 20 andftherefore when the containers are arranged asshown their apexes are spaced from one another and define a center passage through which the lifting rod I 8 extends. Inthe present arrangement the portion of the container of least 30 I width is the apex, it being recognized that owing to the cuttingoii-v of the container'at 2|) there is --no true apex toa container ll. However the smaller portion of the container is for convenience referred toas' the apex. Figs. 2 and 3 '35 clearly show the manner in whichthe containers are arranged in side-'by-side contacting relation with their outer walls or edges i3 against the uppositioned.-'

- Over the upper ends of the containers a cover .tions. Liftingrod l8 extends through the cover and a pin or key piece il-pa'sses transversely through the upperportion of the rod to provide v a hand or finger piece by=means of which the 50 package may be lifted and carried.

From the foregoing it will be seen that owing to the construction of the containersthey may be.

packed solid in the hexagonal base. There is no waste space-between the various containers and here shown.

an attractive package is formed. If desired the lifting rod I8 is omitted and the package may be enclosed by wrapping paper or by card board and wrapping paper. The package may be easily transported from place toplace and is convenient for carrying on picnics etc. and also being very compact occupies but a; relatively small space in a refrigerator or thelike. Package lll made up of a dozen containers is a unit of sale and the goods made up into the package is an inducement for the sale of the number of containers making the package.

With the package resting on the button 19 the base i5, top or cover 2i and the containers on the base may be turned around or aboutthe lifting rod Ill. The containers are easily removed from the package one at a time since all that is necessary to permit such removal is the raising or elethe element 28, after the portions are in their places forming the flanges 30 and 33, the containers are arranged in the base and then the free or outer end of the strap 36 is passed through the slot 35 and the cover 32 is pushed into place with its flange about the upper ends of the containers. The two handles then form means whereby the pizckage may be lifted and carried from place to p ace.

The entire package element 28 of Figs. 6 and 7 as well as the base 15 and the cover or top 2| of Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are preferably formed of card.

board or other inexpensive material whereby when the goods are used there is no necessity for the return of the package or the packaging elements. In the case of the package including the element 28 the cooling unit 24 may be arranged in the center space or passage defined by the vating of the cover member on the lifting rod l8 to dispose the flange of the cover above the upper ends of the containers.

When shipping to a store the base, cover, lifting rod, etc. may be shipped knocked down and in that case the containers arearranged relatively to form rectangles as suggested by Fig. i of the drawing. There a pair of the containers II are shown with their walls I inengagement, one container being indicated by dotted'lines. From this figure it will be apparent that the containers may be packed solid forshipping and also for placing in a refrigerator or the like when there are less than the number of containers required to make a package.

If it is desired to ship the containers made up into packages ill, by placing a plurality of such packages in a carton then the spaces between the packages may be filled by the insertion of other individual containers into such spaces. Thus as suggested by the dotted lines in Fig. 2 the placing of the individual containers against the outer sides of the package III forms the latter into a rectangular package. of course if desired the diameter of the base and cover may be increased so that additional containers may be stacked about the dozen containers arranged as Other stacking arrangements of the containers will suggest themselves.

For the purpose of making up a picnic package the lifting rod i8 may be omitted and in its place its upper end as by a cork or the like. At its lower end it may be provided with a flange 21 of a diameter slightly larger than that of the opening I! in the base through which the lifting rod l8 passes.

Figs.- 6 and I show a mdifled arrangement comprising a one-piece construction of packaging element 28. Fig. 7 shows the element in itsvfiat or blanked conditionand Fig. 6 shows it folded.- The element comprises a hexagonal base 29 having an upstanding flange 30 fiom,one side of which extends a strap-like part 3| integral with an edge of a cover or top 32. This cover or top' is hexagonal and includes a. depending flange 23 and in addition has a portion lanced and pressed therefrom providing a handle 34. Adjacent the handle the top has a. slot 35 the purpose of which will presently appear. 7 t

Also integral with a portion of the flange 30 is a straplike-member 36 the upper or outer end ortion of. which is cut-out to provide an opening 31 whereby a handle is formed. In assembling container of the package and in such instance rests on the base 29. An opening 38 in the cover 82 provides for the introduction of the cooling unit.

Having thus set forth the nature of tion, what I claim is: 1

my inven- 1. A package comprising a hexagonal base hav-.

ing an upstanding flange, generally triangularly shaped containers on said base and arranged in side-by-side contacting relation with a thirty degree apex of each toward the center of the base ahd stopping short thereof to leave a centerpas- 'sage, a hexagonal cover on the upper ends of the containers and including a depending flange engaging the outer edges of the containers, a strap connecting an edge portion of the base with an edge portion of the cover, a second strap connected with the base and having a portion at the upper side of the cover and forming a handle,,

and a second handle comprising a piece partially lanced from and pressed from the cover.

2. A package comprising ahexagonal base'having an upstanding flange, generally triangularly shaped containers on said base and arranged in slde-by-side contacting relation with afthirty degree apex of each toward'the center of the base and stopping short thereof to leave a oentr passage, a hexagonal cover onthe upper ends of the containers and including a depending flange engaging the outer edges of the containers a strap connecting an edge portion of the base with an edge portion of the cove a second strap con-- nected with the base and having a portion exj tending through the cover from the inner side 25 receiving ice or Dry-Ice" 26 and is closed at thereof and forming a handle and a second side-by-side contacting relation with a thirty'de- 1 gree apex of eachtoward the center of the base andstopping short thereof to leave a center passage, a polygonal coveron theupper ends of the containers and including a. depending flange engaging the outer edges of the containers, a strap connecting an adge portion of the base with an edge portion of the cover, a second strap connected with the'base and having a portion at the upper side of the cover and forming a handle,

and a second-handle comprising a piece partially lanced from and pressed from the cover.

4}. A package comprising a polygonal base hav- ,ing an upstanding flange, fiat-sidedtriangularly shaped containers on said base and arranged in side-by-side contacting relation with a thirty degree apex of each toward the center of the base and-stopping short thereof to leave a center paesage, a polygonal cover on the upper ends of the containers and including a depending flange enaging the outer edges of the containers, a strap connecting an edge portion of the base with an edge portion of the cover, a second strap connected with the base and having a portion extending through the cover from the inner side thereof and forming a handle, and a second handle adjacent said first handle and connected with the cover.

' 5. In a container for liquid, a closed elongated liquid-tight body of metal, said body generally triangular in transverse section and comprising flat sides and flat ends, said bodyhaving its sides disposed to form angles of approximately ninety, sixty and'thirty degrees at the respective corners thereof, and said container having the edges of. its sides forming the thirty degree angle connected short of an apex whereby when a series of the containers are arranged in side-by-side relation with their sides forming the thirty degree angle in contact and with their third sides outlining a hexagon there is a center space enclosed by such connected edges;

6. A package comprising a hexagonal base. independent generally triangularly shaped containers on said base and arranged in side-by-slde contacting relation each with an apex toward the center of the base and stopping'short thereof to leavea center passage, an upstanding flange about and carried by the edge-of said base and engaging the outer edges of said containers, a hexagonal cover on the upper ends of said containers, a depending flange about and carried by the outer edge of said cover and engaging the outer edges of said containers, and a lifting rod extending through the base, center passage and. cover.

7. A package comprising apolygonal base. independent flat-sided triangularly shaped containers onthe base in side-b'y-side contacting relation each with an apex toward the center of the base but stopping short thereof to leave a center passage, an upstanding flange about and carried by the edge of said base and engaging the outer edges of said containers, a polygonal cover on the upper ends of said containers, adepending flange about and carried by the edge of the cover and engaging the outer edges of said containers, and splitting rod extending through the base, center, passage and cover.

8. A package comprising a polygonal base, independent flat-sided generally trlangularly shaped liquid-tight containers having their lower ends onsaid base, said containers independently removable from the base and arranged in sideby-side contacting relation each with an apex toward a common center, an upstanding flange carriedby the edges of said base and engaging the outer edges of said containers, a polygonal cover on the upper ends of said containers, and a depending flange carried by said cover and-engaging the outer edges of said containers.

7 9. A package comprising a hexagonal base, independent flat-sided generally triangularly shaped liquid-tight containers having their lower ends on said base, said containers independently removable from the base and arranged in side! by-side contacting relation each with an apex toward acommon center, an upstanding flange carried by the edges of said base and engaging the outer edges of said containers, a-hexagonal cover on the upper ends of said containers, and a depending flange carried by said cover and engaging the outer edges of said containers.

base, said containers each having its sides disposed to form angles of approximately ninety, sixty and thirty degrees at the respective comers thereof, said containers independently removable 1o. A'package comprising a straight sided base,

independent flat sided triangularly shaped liquid- I tight containers having their lower ends on the from the base and arranged'in side-by-side contacting relation with their thirty degree apexes toward a common center, an upstanding flange carried by the edges of the base and engaging the outer edges of the containers, a straight sided cover-son the upper ends of the containers, and a depending flange carried by said cover and engaging the outer edges 01' said containers.

ALEXANDER L. 

